Review points to YMCA fraud in Manatee

Published: Thursday, July 3, 2014 at 11:03 p.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, July 3, 2014 at 11:03 p.m.

BRADENTON - An internal audit has found that the Manatee County YMCA defrauded the county by misreporting expenses related to some of its youth programs.

The audit, released by the Manatee County Comptroller’s Office Thursday, revealed that YMCA officials overbilled the county, billed for services that were never provided, and submitted inaccurate and falsified information to investigators.

Investigators said they could not verify how $175,255 — part of $586,954 the county gave the YMCA for youth programs during the 2011-12 fiscal year and six months of 2013 — was spent by the nonprofit.

“Based on our review of the documentation obtained and interviews with Manatee YMCA staff, we conclude that the allegations that the Manatee YMCA submitted falsified information to support funding received from Manatee County have been substantiated,” the audit said.

“We further conclude that the Community Services Department staff assigned to administer and monitor the relevant funding agreements failed to adequately perform their duties.”

The investigation began after the county Community Services Department and Citizens Action Center each received a March 27 email alleging that the YMCA had falsified documents to support its programs.

Among the investigation’s findings:

• Officials provided falsified documents to auditors to support payments for Y-Dash and South Branch program services. For example, student sign-in sheets provided in November 2013 for the Y-Dash Harllee Middle School site were duplicates of sheets submitted as supporting documentation for the 2012-2013 South Branch Program agreement. Additionally, several sign-in sheets contained January 2013 dates, although the program did not begin until October of that year.

Bolt stopped working for the YMCA in November, but said he still mentors children and families he met while with the nonprofit. Last Sunday, he and his wife took five of those youths to the Elks Cub Camp in the Ocala State Forest for a weeklong camp. He funded the trip himself.

“The mentoring can’t stop when the paycheck stops,” Bolt said. “I’ve been doing gang abatement and mentoring in the community for the last 15 years.

“People from different agencies and the people who live in the communities where I mentor know me, and they know the motives of my heart — it’s certainly not financial.”

As a new fiscal year approaches for the county, commissioners will soon vote on whether the YMCA and other organizations will get grants.

Azzara said agencies have filed grant applications, which were reviewed by the Children’s Services Advisory Board, which recommended funding levels to the county commission.

Azzara said Children’s Services already made its recommendations for funding before the internal audit of the YMCA was released.

“I’d expect they’ll be looking at this with a different set of eyes now,” Azzara said.

Commission Chairman Larry Bustle said he learned of the internal audit Thursday.

“I was very shocked and surprised,” Bustle said. “I know the YMCA has done a lot of good work around Manatee County, and I’m sure that’s totally separated from what’s been found in the audit report.

“I would certainly not want anything going on in this audit report to undo all the good work that’s been done here.”

<p><em>BRADENTON</em> - An internal audit has found that the Manatee County YMCA defrauded the county by misreporting expenses related to some of its youth programs.</p><p>The audit, released by the Manatee County Comptroller's Office Thursday, revealed that YMCA officials overbilled the county, billed for services that were never provided, and submitted inaccurate and falsified information to investigators.</p><p>Investigators said they could not verify how $175,255 — part of $586,954 the county gave the YMCA for youth programs during the 2011-12 fiscal year and six months of 2013 — was spent by the nonprofit.</p><p>“Based on our review of the documentation obtained and interviews with Manatee YMCA staff, we conclude that the allegations that the Manatee YMCA submitted falsified information to support funding received from Manatee County have been substantiated,” the audit said. </p><p>“We further conclude that the Community Services Department staff assigned to administer and monitor the relevant funding agreements failed to adequately perform their duties.”</p><p>The investigation began after the county Community Services Department and Citizens Action Center each received a March 27 email alleging that the YMCA had falsified documents to support its programs.</p><p>Among the investigation's findings:</p><p>• Officials provided falsified documents to auditors to support payments for Y-Dash and South Branch program services. For example, student sign-in sheets provided in November 2013 for the Y-Dash Harllee Middle School site were duplicates of sheets submitted as supporting documentation for the 2012-2013 South Branch Program agreement. Additionally, several sign-in sheets contained January 2013 dates, although the program did not begin until October of that year.</p><p>Bolt stopped working for the YMCA in November, but said he still mentors children and families he met while with the nonprofit. Last Sunday, he and his wife took five of those youths to the Elks Cub Camp in the Ocala State Forest for a weeklong camp. He funded the trip himself.</p><p>“The mentoring can't stop when the paycheck stops,” Bolt said. “I've been doing gang abatement and mentoring in the community for the last 15 years.</p><p>“People from different agencies and the people who live in the communities where I mentor know me, and they know the motives of my heart — it's certainly not financial.”</p><p>As a new fiscal year approaches for the county, commissioners will soon vote on whether the YMCA and other organizations will get grants.</p><p>Azzara said agencies have filed grant applications, which were reviewed by the Children's Services Advisory Board, which recommended funding levels to the county commission.</p><p>Azzara said Children's Services already made its recommendations for funding before the internal audit of the YMCA was released.</p><p>“I'd expect they'll be looking at this with a different set of eyes now,” Azzara said.</p><p>Commission Chairman Larry Bustle said he learned of the internal audit Thursday.</p><p>“I was very shocked and surprised,” Bustle said. “I know the YMCA has done a lot of good work around Manatee County, and I'm sure that's totally separated from what's been found in the audit report. </p><p>“I would certainly not want anything going on in this audit report to undo all the good work that's been done here.”</p>